Opened, poured and let sit about 1/25 hrs. Then: Nose dark reddish fruit. Initial taste is dark reddish fruit; fairly balanced; acidity OK; some grippiness and warmth on the finish. Over the next 45 min, fruit stays pretty much the same/monotone; tannins a bit more noticeable on the finish; warmth on the finish recedes slightly. Approachable/drinkable now, but tannins and alcohol need more time to integrate for a better experience.
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59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot aged in 35% new oak. Nose is sweet oak driven with some red and dark berry fruit. Nice elegant feel with a medium+ body. It’s the least heavy of the 3 wines. Medium acid. Still tannic without food but approachable with food. The nose integrates well over time and more fruit comes out but the tannins still remain without food. Others may prefer to age it longer for that reason but it should age 10+ more years too. 90+
https://winediplomats.com/
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Nose of plum, violet, mint, leather. Chewy tannins with acidity hitting late. Palate of blackberry, orange, graphite and oak. Long oak and wet stone finish. Structure and balance significantly improved after 1.5-2hr decant
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Decanted for about 50 minutes. Aromas of blackberry, currant, licorice, saddle leather and cherry. Flavors of blackberry, cherry, earth, iron and touch of chocolate. Ends with a 20-25 second finish with blackberry and iron notes. Consistently a solid wine for the money.
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Rich dark fruit, warm cedar and spice, licorice, wet stone, touch of floral, something slightly herb/vegetal. Lovely wine with nice balance after opening up.
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Favorable pairing tonight with veal marsala and cherries jubilee. Strong fruit flavors and a bit high in alcohol makes a great complement to these kinds of foods. Tannins at this point are completely worked out. Opened 1/2 hour before drinking and did not decant.
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59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.
In the nose, floral notes, dark fruits, black cherry, spice (from the cab sauv and the alcohol), cream and smoke. Full-bodied wine with vivid purple color.
In the mouth, quite ripe with juicy black fruit and truffle come through. Acid and grainy tannins are balanced, albeit tannins are little bit coarse and drying. Finish medium with a powdery sensation and truffle. This wine is quite smooth and glossy.
Merlot in this wine emerges stronger than the cabernet, which sometimes gave inky and spicy notes. Overall, dominated more by the dark, juicy fruit and mineral.
Decent wine but at times too alcoholic and ripe and didn't have a freshness and lift I generally prefer. On the second day, the wine drank a lot better but still these two elements were a bit distracting. I think this should be good from now till 2028.
Changed my review to 90pts and maintained a neutral opinion on the wine.
Better deals out there. Pay a little more for something like Cantemerle or even less for top wines from Castillon Cotes des Bordeaux and Fronsac.
Decanted for an hour. Black core with ruby on the rim, almost magenta. Cassis, crushed red berries, smokey meat, allspice, and black pepper on the nose. Rich core of blackberries with nice concentration, and dark chocolate/cacao powder on the mid palate. Hints of nutmeg/menthol and gravel on its long, creamy finish. Lively acidity and grainy, chewy tannins. Lovely balance. Lilian Ladouys is always great value left bank Bordeaux.
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A very solid showing for a young wine. Opened hot, so I decanted and it really opened up after roughly an hour and a half. Black fruit, blueberry, some dark chocolate, with a touch of spice on the palate. Probably best after 2024, but a fantastic wine for the price point.
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I recommend decanting this to let it open up for 90-120 minutes (or more) given it is so young. It is really a great Bordeaux for the age cost: wonderful value.
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Intended to check in on the 16, but grabbed the 18 by accident and only noticed once capsule was removed. Dark ripe (but not necessarily precise) fruit, sweet plum and vanilla on the nose. Also sensing alcohol before the first sip. The palate is still tight, not fully balanced at this point. Subtle oak, yet still modern in style, in need of more time in the cellar. However at this price point (paid less than $20) there is no reason to be overly critical. 89-90 with upside I would think.
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A lovely Bordeaux at a great price! Was pleasantly surprised at the complexity here: Cedar closet, black currant, wet earth/stone/rock (love wines from St. Estephe), wild brush (sage & something else I couldn't put my finger on!) & firm tannins. I look forward to trying other vintages. This was a fantastic wine for a relaxing evening. NOTE: drink this wine with a slight chill. At room temp, not as good. There does seem to be some bottle variation, as bottle 2 seeming more closed off so far...so would get a 90-91.
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Solid dark fruit structure with prominent and misplaced cedar (or juniper)n taste and alcohol adding to lean hot finish. Did the winemaker not trust the grapes?
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Cedar, blackberry and vanilla on the aroma. Similar flavor profile. Currently the oak is over powering the fruit. Medium body with medium-plus acidity and medium-plus tannins with a slight astringency. Overall, this wine is priced well as a table wine.
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This was fairly similar to the 05 Merus, surprisingly. Rich and plush, dark fruits. A little more acidity and freshness. For my tastes, better balanced and more enjoyable. I am not sure if it is the vintage, or if this is becoming more modern in style.
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Interesting to read the comments on this one here.
We drank this over two nights - the alcohol stood out on both to the point where it really obscured the fruit. The nose seemed unusually muted. Obviously this is young but the 2016 was enticing at a similar age, resplendent with violets & wonderfully balanced. This is far less convincing, offering neither hedonistic pleasure nor a wine that speaks of Bordeaux (or St Estephe for that matter). Got a couple left so it will be interesting to see what time does.
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Decanted two hours. Nose: a lot of leather and pepper, violets, potpourri, and a bit of dark fruit and cherries in the background. Quite a lovely bouquet—rich and complex. On the palette the wine has excellent structure, rich in tannins, and tastes of light cherry. The finish is long and drying. This is a very nice wine and good value that seems like it can age for a long time. We were big fans of the 2010 and still have half a dozen bottles of that. Will likely pick up some of this to age too.
A really great nose! It is full of dark berries and a little oak sweetness. It was a little early as the flavors were years off but it was nice. The start was dark berries and a little chocolate and leather. When the middle hit it was a little lighter with a fade in flavors. The finish was bright and flavors popped but tannins were strong and just hasn't settled.
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Concentrated purple flowers, fruits, and berries, with red fruit and berry accents. Sharp, angular alcohol follows on the heels of the floral and fruity elements, however, detracting from the whole. Also, unsurprisingly, based on the loud bouquet, over extraction shows at the back, with telltale chalky bitterness. Balanced oak treatment.
On the second day, slightly improved integration, and offering greater substance, This noted, the extraction, and especially the alcohol, remained the wine's features.
On the plus side: very good, if overtly modern, sense of place, substance, and oak. On the negative side: heavily extracted and quite hot. The alcohol came off as 15.5 abv, or so, compared to the listed 14.5. Some wines do not wear alcohol well.
Cru Bourgeois: Vibrant purple color. The nose shows a warm but tangy invite with plums and currants, topped with spiced tea, pepper, anise, fallen leaves and dried violet petals. Medium-bodied, dusty tannins, fresh acidity, this is nicely balanced with tangy plum and currant fruit. Notes of smoky earth, pepper, clay and graphite add complexity, and I get notes of leaves and earthy mushroom tones. I’d like to see what this does in two or three years. 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.
2018 BDX Blind (Chapel Hill, NC): Decanted 6h before serving. #11 of 15 '18 BDX in our blind tasting. 59% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot, 5% petit verdot, clocking in a 14.% ABV. This was served just before its older brother, the '09, which was inserted as a ringer to compare these young wines to another riper vintage. The '09 was a train wreck, so while the '18 is attractive now, I wonder how it will age. My notes say "juniper and minerals on the nose. Chewy, youthful, dry tannins. OK." Revisiting the leftovers on day 3, I conclude that this is a rich, exuberant, modern styled wine. Very fruit forward, jammy nose, with boysenberry and black raspberry aromas. Quite accessible, fruit-forward, low acidity, but with bracing tannins and cigar box notes on the back end. Shows more heat than most, which is saying something considering nearly every '18 clocks in over 14%. This could turn out well, but I'm not sure I would bet on it.
Obviously too young, but once again, its definitely in line with the modern or "hybrid" style of the producer's mark. In 2018, the wine is richer, sweeter, and more interesting in its youth, making it more approachable for near term drinking with what should be high hopes of gaining 2 more points with cellaring. This may be as good or better than 2009 with time. HOLD
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One night 1 I found this a bit unwieldy--with bitter tannins on the back end and heavy extraction. Dark concentrated fruits, high tannins and oak, and not much harmony. Better on night 2. Smoother, softer profile. Still black fruited and concentrated with a rather shy nose. Tannins have softened, as has the strong toast and coffee finish. A wine I generally enjoy. Yes, there's some modern "gloss" to it, but it typically drinks well young and gains complexity with mid term aging. There's a lot here, but the scale and profile of the vintage may be a bit much for me.
Mouth: Pure flavors of mixed currant, dried plum, and bitter cherry are juicy and fresh, met with a solid spine of acid that leads them gently into a midpalate of blue flower and bay leaf, tobacco, and crushed rock. Everything loses steam a bit going into the finish, but the dried fruit and florals continue to echo nicely throughout.
Overall: The beautiful nose here offers a wide swath of different things that the mouth can't really deliver on. That being said, this is sleek and well poised, wearing its freshness well and allowing the purity of fruit to take point throughout.
Full-bodied, spicy, smoky and floral with layers of tobacco and black currants. Full-bodied, round, lush and loaded with sweet, juicy red and black fruits, give it time to come around, at least 6 years or so. The wine was produced using 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.
Bordeaux 2018 from bottle (Bordeaux and Strasbourg): Similar experience to positive impressions when tasted along with other Cru Bourgeois wines. This is quite tasty, with a rich, opulent nose of strawberry and plum fruit, la baie du mur, with smooth and juicy texture. A fine tannic edge that reflects the image of Saint Estèphe and that is a good sign, leading to a juicy finish. And even the second wine is excellent! Full notes in wine-chronicles.com
3h air for this young St. Estèphe blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep purple color. Aromas of black cherry, licorice, smoke, wet earth, baking spice. Robust, dense, but very young; has potential to be even better than it is now if it can develop some complexity and harmony. Satin texture, full-bodied, with grippy tannins. Flavors of dark fruit, olive and licorice, and a lingering finish.
Rather enjoyable considering that its been in bottle for just 6 months or so. Quite juicy, with strong but not harsh tannins and no excessive new oak. Lower acidity. It reminds me somewhat of the 2009. 59% Cabernet, 37% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. 14.5% abv Definitely has a good foundation for development of some complexity.
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Definitely the best vintage of Lilian Ladouys to date. The wine is loaded with licorice, black fruits, smoke and wet earth. Medium/full-bodied with a round, juicy, lush-mouth feel, there is a nice spicy character in the finish due to the increase of Cabernet Sauvignon in the vineyard and the blend. The wine was produced using 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, reaching 14.4% alcohol. 92-94 Pts
4/23/2024 - Quiller wrote: 88 Points
Opened, poured and let sit about 1/25 hrs. Then: Nose dark reddish fruit. Initial taste is dark reddish fruit; fairly balanced; acidity OK; some grippiness and warmth on the finish. Over the next 45 min, fruit stays pretty much the same/monotone; tannins a bit more noticeable on the finish; warmth on the finish recedes slightly. Approachable/drinkable now, but tannins and alcohol need more time to integrate for a better experience.
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3/27/2024 - KatieDrinksWine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Raspberries, orange blossom, currents
Black pepper, licorice
Some velvety tannins, mild oak
Great wine for the price point
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3/21/2024 - Wine Diplomats Likes this wine: 90 Points
59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot aged in 35% new oak. Nose is sweet oak driven with some red and dark berry fruit. Nice elegant feel with a medium+ body. It’s the least heavy of the 3 wines. Medium acid. Still tannic without food but approachable with food. The nose integrates well over time and more fruit comes out but the tannins still remain without food. Others may prefer to age it longer for that reason but it should age 10+ more years too. 90+
https://winediplomats.com/
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3/11/2024 - BenF87M2 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of plum, violet, mint, leather. Chewy tannins with acidity hitting late. Palate of blackberry, orange, graphite and oak. Long oak and wet stone finish. Structure and balance significantly improved after 1.5-2hr decant
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2/27/2024 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Good structure and power to it.
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2/24/2024 - df1962 Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnD. Let air for two hours.
Consistent with previous note. Complex and balanced. Great classic BDX flavours. Lingering finish. Great with duck confit.
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1/21/2024 - slywka7 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for about 50 minutes. Aromas of blackberry, currant, licorice, saddle leather and cherry. Flavors of blackberry, cherry, earth, iron and touch of chocolate. Ends with a 20-25 second finish with blackberry and iron notes. Consistently a solid wine for the money.
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1/14/2024 - Drainbolt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Intense out of the bottle, decanted for an hour.
Rich dark fruit, warm cedar and spice, licorice, wet stone, touch of floral, something slightly herb/vegetal. Lovely wine with nice balance after opening up.
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1/13/2024 - Chris Maurer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Favorable pairing tonight with veal marsala and cherries jubilee. Strong fruit flavors and a bit high in alcohol makes a great complement to these kinds of foods. Tannins at this point are completely worked out. Opened 1/2 hour before drinking and did not decant.
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1/10/2024 - racerchris Likes this wine: 91 Points
Much better than my previous bottle, and more in line with what I expect from this producer.
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10/27/2023 - Chupeaka wrote: 90 Points
59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.
In the nose, floral notes, dark fruits, black cherry, spice (from the cab sauv and the alcohol), cream and smoke. Full-bodied wine with vivid purple color.
In the mouth, quite ripe with juicy black fruit and truffle come through. Acid and grainy tannins are balanced, albeit tannins are little bit coarse and drying. Finish medium with a powdery sensation and truffle. This wine is quite smooth and glossy.
Merlot in this wine emerges stronger than the cabernet, which sometimes gave inky and spicy notes. Overall, dominated more by the dark, juicy fruit and mineral.
Decent wine but at times too alcoholic and ripe and didn't have a freshness and lift I generally prefer. On the second day, the wine drank a lot better but still these two elements were a bit distracting. I think this should be good from now till 2028.
Changed my review to 90pts and maintained a neutral opinion on the wine.
Better deals out there. Pay a little more for something like Cantemerle or even less for top wines from Castillon Cotes des Bordeaux and Fronsac.
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10/21/2023 - Fronko Likes this wine: 89 Points
Bit less purple and more red than the Malescasse drinked in same dinner. Ceder wood dominates smell. Very nice wine.
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9/24/2023 - rickycambier wrote: 85 Points
85
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9/22/2023 - brenkim103 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour. Black core with ruby on the rim, almost magenta. Cassis, crushed red berries, smokey meat, allspice, and black pepper on the nose. Rich core of blackberries with nice concentration, and dark chocolate/cacao powder on the mid palate. Hints of nutmeg/menthol and gravel on its long, creamy finish. Lively acidity and grainy, chewy tannins. Lovely balance. Lilian Ladouys is always great value left bank Bordeaux.
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9/9/2023 - Outplaying wrote:
After a Goodfellow Pinot, this looks very dark and dense. It is packed with flavor and fruit, but there is some structure, too.
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7/5/2023 - MBurka wrote: 92 Points
A very solid showing for a young wine. Opened hot, so I decanted and it really opened up after roughly an hour and a half. Black fruit, blueberry, some dark chocolate, with a touch of spice on the palate. Probably best after 2024, but a fantastic wine for the price point.
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3/25/2023 - racerchris wrote:
This bottle presented unintegrated oak and unintegrated alcohol.
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3/11/2023 - Ruach Likes this wine: 91 Points
I recommend decanting this to let it open up for 90-120 minutes (or more) given it is so young. It is really a great Bordeaux for the age cost: wonderful value.
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3/10/2023 - Ruach Likes this wine: 91 Points
Young, but still so good it is hard to resist.
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3/3/2023 - JoeMe Likes this wine: 90 Points
Intended to check in on the 16, but grabbed the 18 by accident and only noticed once capsule was removed. Dark ripe (but not necessarily precise) fruit, sweet plum and vanilla on the nose. Also sensing alcohol before the first sip. The palate is still tight, not fully balanced at this point. Subtle oak, yet still modern in style, in need of more time in the cellar. However at this price point (paid less than $20) there is no reason to be overly critical. 89-90 with upside I would think.
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2/25/2023 - Wine Hippie Likes this wine: 92 Points
A lovely Bordeaux at a great price! Was pleasantly surprised at the complexity here:
Cedar closet, black currant, wet earth/stone/rock (love wines from St. Estephe), wild brush (sage & something else I couldn't put my finger on!) & firm tannins. I look forward to trying other vintages.
This was a fantastic wine for a relaxing evening.
NOTE: drink this wine with a slight chill. At room temp, not as good. There does seem to be some bottle variation, as bottle 2 seeming more closed off so far...so would get a 90-91.
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2/8/2023 - xyc wrote: 87 Points
Solid dark fruit structure with prominent and misplaced cedar (or juniper)n taste and alcohol adding to lean hot finish. Did the winemaker not trust the grapes?
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2/4/2023 - sboyle Likes this wine: 89 Points
Cedar, blackberry and vanilla on the aroma. Similar flavor profile. Currently the oak is over powering the fruit. Medium body with medium-plus acidity and medium-plus tannins with a slight astringency. Overall, this wine is priced well as a table wine.
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12/25/2022 - Outplaying wrote:
This was fairly similar to the 05 Merus, surprisingly. Rich and plush, dark fruits. A little more acidity and freshness. For my tastes, better balanced and more enjoyable. I am not sure if it is the vintage, or if this is becoming more modern in style.
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8/22/2022 - wineotim wrote: 88 Points
This was dry with restrained fruit and mineral notes. Rather uninspiring frankly.
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8/16/2022 - peolsf Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep crimson, long legs. Nose of plum, black currant, almond, violet, vanilla… Gorgeous palate with soft tannins and very long finish. Excellent.
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5/29/2022 - jmoon wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyable now, not sure if muchbupside from further cellaring, as its simple and forgettable - yet perfectly enjoyable… obviously hot year.
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5/24/2022 - abrantingham Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice. Mellow, good depth. Dry but round.
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5/8/2022 - brodien wrote: 88 Points
Interesting to read the comments on this one here.
We drank this over two nights - the alcohol stood out on both to the point where it really obscured the fruit. The nose seemed unusually muted. Obviously this is young but the 2016 was enticing at a similar age, resplendent with violets & wonderfully balanced. This is far less convincing, offering neither hedonistic pleasure nor a wine that speaks of Bordeaux (or St Estephe for that matter). Got a couple left so it will be interesting to see what time does.
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4/29/2022 - Brendel Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted two hours. Nose: a lot of leather and pepper, violets, potpourri, and a bit of dark fruit and cherries in the background. Quite a lovely bouquet—rich and complex. On the palette the wine has excellent structure, rich in tannins, and tastes of light cherry. The finish is long and drying. This is a very nice wine and good value that seems like it can age for a long time. We were big fans of the 2010 and still have half a dozen bottles of that. Will likely pick up some of this to age too.
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3/27/2022 - lbrooks wrote: 86 Points
A really great nose! It is full of dark berries and a little oak sweetness. It was a little early as the flavors were years off but it was nice. The start was dark berries and a little chocolate and leather. When the middle hit it was a little lighter with a fade in flavors. The finish was bright and flavors popped but tannins were strong and just hasn't settled.
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3/16/2022 - David J Cooper wrote: 90 Points
Dark red. The nose is fresh and primary, cassis, black cherry and berry fruit. Dry red fruit flavours and a nice balanced dry finish.
Very enjoyable but hold on if you can.
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2/22/2022 - Motz wrote: 89 Points
Tasted over two days.
Concentrated purple flowers, fruits, and berries, with red fruit and berry accents. Sharp, angular alcohol follows on the heels of the floral and fruity elements, however, detracting from the whole. Also, unsurprisingly, based on the loud bouquet, over extraction shows at the back, with telltale chalky bitterness. Balanced oak treatment.
On the second day, slightly improved integration, and offering greater substance, This noted, the extraction, and especially the alcohol, remained the wine's features.
On the plus side: very good, if overtly modern, sense of place, substance, and oak. On the negative side: heavily extracted and quite hot. The alcohol came off as 15.5 abv, or so, compared to the listed 14.5. Some wines do not wear alcohol well.
Tempted to score it 90 points...but for the heat.
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1/25/2022 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent, lively Bordeaux -- good tannins -- let future bottles sit
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12/10/2021 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Clear dark red. Lovely nose, berry fruit, black cherry, a fennel and warm earth nose. Dry spicy berry flavours and a very balanced finish.
This is very approachable and the pundits figure it will age well. WE says don’t touch until 2025. I would ignore that advise.
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11/3/2021 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 90 Points
Cru Bourgeois: Vibrant purple color. The nose shows a warm but tangy invite with plums and currants, topped with spiced tea, pepper, anise, fallen leaves and dried violet petals. Medium-bodied, dusty tannins, fresh acidity, this is nicely balanced with tangy plum and currant fruit. Notes of smoky earth, pepper, clay and graphite add complexity, and I get notes of leaves and earthy mushroom tones. I’d like to see what this does in two or three years. 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.
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10/16/2021 - sduraybito Likes this wine: 91 Points
Hot and aggressive out of the bottle. Mellowed pretty quickly on decanting. Cassie and Justin brought it for my 64th with marinated flank steak.
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10/10/2021 - df1962 wrote: 91 Points
Had a small glass at Bramansonlou’s.
Smooth delicious and complex. Amazingly approachable with tons of life ahead. Bought two more.
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9/5/2021 - GrapeScott wrote: 90 Points
2018 BDX Blind (Chapel Hill, NC): Decanted 6h before serving. #11 of 15 '18 BDX in our blind tasting. 59% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot, 5% petit verdot, clocking in a 14.% ABV. This was served just before its older brother, the '09, which was inserted as a ringer to compare these young wines to another riper vintage. The '09 was a train wreck, so while the '18 is attractive now, I wonder how it will age. My notes say "juniper and minerals on the nose. Chewy, youthful, dry tannins. OK." Revisiting the leftovers on day 3, I conclude that this is a rich, exuberant, modern styled wine. Very fruit forward, jammy nose, with boysenberry and black raspberry aromas. Quite accessible, fruit-forward, low acidity, but with bracing tannins and cigar box notes on the back end. Shows more heat than most, which is saying something considering nearly every '18 clocks in over 14%. This could turn out well, but I'm not sure I would bet on it.
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8/9/2021 - Purple Tooth wrote: 91 Points
Obviously too young, but once again, its definitely in line with the modern or "hybrid" style of the producer's mark. In 2018, the wine is richer, sweeter, and more interesting in its youth, making it more approachable for near term drinking with what should be high hopes of gaining 2 more points with cellaring. This may be as good or better than 2009 with time. HOLD
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7/29/2021 - Nutty08 wrote: 89 Points
One night 1 I found this a bit unwieldy--with bitter tannins on the back end and heavy extraction. Dark concentrated fruits, high tannins and oak, and not much harmony. Better on night 2. Smoother, softer profile. Still black fruited and concentrated with a rather shy nose. Tannins have softened, as has the strong toast and coffee finish. A wine I generally enjoy. Yes, there's some modern "gloss" to it, but it typically drinks well young and gains complexity with mid term aging. There's a lot here, but the scale and profile of the vintage may be a bit much for me.
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3/31/2021 - epiphany Likes this wine: 91 Points
Serious. Will be buying more.
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3/25/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote: 91 Points
Medium ruby
Nose: Juiced blueberry, crushed plum, smoldering black tobacco, cut lilac, crushed granite.
Mouth: Pure flavors of mixed currant, dried plum, and bitter cherry are juicy and fresh, met with a solid spine of acid that leads them gently into a midpalate of blue flower and bay leaf, tobacco, and crushed rock. Everything loses steam a bit going into the finish, but the dried fruit and florals continue to echo nicely throughout.
Overall: The beautiful nose here offers a wide swath of different things that the mouth can't really deliver on. That being said, this is sleek and well poised, wearing its freshness well and allowing the purity of fruit to take point throughout.
91.
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3/9/2021 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Full-bodied, spicy, smoky and floral with layers of tobacco and black currants. Full-bodied, round, lush and loaded with sweet, juicy red and black fruits, give it time to come around, at least 6 years or so. The wine was produced using 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.
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1/26/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bordeaux 2018 from bottle (Bordeaux and Strasbourg): Similar experience to positive impressions when tasted along with other Cru Bourgeois wines. This is quite tasty, with a rich, opulent nose of strawberry and plum fruit, la baie du mur, with smooth and juicy texture. A fine tannic edge that reflects the image of Saint Estèphe and that is a good sign, leading to a juicy finish. And even the second wine is excellent! Full notes in wine-chronicles.com
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1/22/2021 - daveyk39 wrote: 89 Points
3h air for this young St. Estèphe blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep purple color. Aromas of black cherry, licorice, smoke, wet earth, baking spice. Robust, dense, but very young; has potential to be even better than it is now if it can develop some complexity and harmony. Satin texture, full-bodied, with grippy tannins. Flavors of dark fruit, olive and licorice, and a lingering finish.
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1/3/2021 - racerchris Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rather enjoyable considering that its been in bottle for just 6 months or so. Quite juicy, with strong but not harsh tannins and no excessive new oak. Lower acidity.
It reminds me somewhat of the 2009.
59% Cabernet, 37% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. 14.5% abv
Definitely has a good foundation for development of some complexity.
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4/19/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Definitely the best vintage of Lilian Ladouys to date. The wine is loaded with licorice, black fruits, smoke and wet earth. Medium/full-bodied with a round, juicy, lush-mouth feel, there is a nice spicy character in the finish due to the increase of Cabernet Sauvignon in the vineyard and the blend. The wine was produced using 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, reaching 14.4% alcohol. 92-94 Pts
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